Where does “beer” come from?

beer (Limburgish) comes from Middle High German bër, from Old High German beri, from Proto-West Germanic baʀi, from Proto-Germanic bazją, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri-.

beer (Limburgish): beer; any alcoholic drink

Definitions

  1. beer; any alcoholic drink

Ancestry of “beer”, step by step

beer traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle High German bër

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanbërbear
2Old High GermanberiA berry
3Proto-West Germanicbaʀiberry
4Proto-Germanicbazjąberry
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

via Middle Dutch bêer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchbêerboar, male pig
2Old Dutchbero—
3Proto-West Germanicberōbear
4Proto-Germanicberôbear
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerH-to pierce; to strike; brown

via Middle Low German bêr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germanbêr—
2Old Saxonbior—
3Proto-West Germanicbeuʀbeer
4Proto-Germanicbeuząbeer
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰews-dross, sediment; dross, sediment, brewer's yeast

Words derived from “beer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bazją →